There are many transfer-type thermal printers in which ink is applied by thermal transfer to paper which has surface irregularities. For example, one type of such printers uses a ribbon including a releasing layer and a highly condensed ink material while another uses a force other than or in addition to that generated by ink adhesion to transfer ink from the ribbon to the transfer paper (for example, magnetic force and/or air force). In the former type, the ink material tends to adhere only or mainly to the convex or projecting portions of the surface irregularities in the paper while depressions tend to be covered with ink mainly due to the ink's cohesion force. This limits the choice of the ink material because of the need to control the cohesion force, which tends to be highly dependent on the ink's temperature. Accordingly, it can be difficult for such a machine to make full-color images. Further, such a machine can impose restrictions on the construction of the thermal head. In a device of the later type, printers using a magnetic force can encounter difficulties in full-color printing because the magnetic material tends to be dispersed in the inking material. Printers using an air force can be relatively expensive because the base film of the ink sheet comprises a porous material. Good effects can be obtained in such printers when high pressure is applied to the printing head, but this can limit the service life of the head.